I am so frustrated with Rhythmic Step

D

DawnA

Cathlete
I am losing my mind. Yesterday I devoted 3 hours to learning Rhythmic Step. I rewound it a million times, redid it over and over, and mostly got it. I thought the rest would come as I do it on a more regular basis. For some reason the second section is hardest for me to get. It bothered me all day yesterday, because I felt I didn't have a long cardio, just that choppy learn, do it over thing. Today I got it out, ready to go all the way through, and I still don't have it down. Ugh!!! After the second part I turned it off and put the Wedding Tape in and did it like my life depended on it. I can do that in my sleep. Guess what? I even had to push myself through that one! I feel like such a failure! Why is this specific tape so hard for me to get?? Years ago I used to do Denise Austin, who is as dancey as they come!! Should I put it aside for a while? Has anyone else had a hard time with this one?
Dawn
 
I get dizzy sometimes when it gets to the over the tops, swoop turn in a circle and reverse scoops...lunges and mambo back and forths. Plus the over face in over back shuffle..shuffle forward and back. Just typing it makes me dizzy.
But it is a real fun workout and after you finally get it you will be quite proud. I know I am even though I get pretty hypoglycemic by the time the Challenge comes around. I still make mistakes but try not to let it get you down, it's a LOT of material. You're basically thinking the whole hour! Try to have fun with it and take it easy.
 
Hi Dawn,

Actually it took me two months to get Rhythmic Step all the way down and without constantly going in the wrong direction. I'd just try it a couple times a week and keep moving, sort of whatever my closest approximation was to what Cathe was doing, and over time it came. Many of the moves are different from what we're used to, that can make learning take longer. If I understand the biology I've read correctly, learning is actually a physical function--the making of new nerve connections in the brain. Things that are similar to what you've learned before don't take long to pick up because the nerve pathways are already mostly formed, but things you aren't used to take more nerve growth and that takes time. Please be patient with yourself, you'll get there and it's so worth it when you do. Karen
 
Hi Dawn!

Joining you as one who was VERY frustated learning and STILL learning RS. I am definitley "Miss Klutz" with it. All I can say as far as taking some of your frustration away is to practice it on off times. (not during your normal workout time so you don't feel cheated in that department.) I haven't done this myself, but maybe watching it and writing down which foot does what on the trickier parts might help??? I have gotten about 80% of it down now and it is sooo worth the trouble I have had. Just sooooo much FUN! I still cannot get that cha-cha thing around the board. Oh my gosh, if anyone would see me TRYING to get that part, they would bust a gut laughing at me! I just cannot get
around there that fast.(I tell myself it is my short, stubby legs! ;-)) I also had a heck of a time with the tap down on the floor to the side of the step, rock or dbl. swing on the step, (do you have ANY idea what I am mumbling about?) BUT I GOT IT FINALLY. Now, I feel "cool" just like Cathe! :7 I know I have not helped you at all, but they say misery loves company. Hang in there and just keep at it. I'll think of you everytime I end up on the wrong side of the board trying to figure out how Cathe got THERE!!?? Keep me posted.

Your-Friend-In-Fitness, DebbieH http://www.plaudersmilies.de/wavey.gif If You Get The Choice To Sit It Out Or Dance...I Hope You DANCE!!!
 
Of all Cathe's tapes, this one was the most difficult to learn. I did it six times and gave up on it, but when I decide to do it again, I'll do it on a four inch step and slow motion and rewind.

That second part IS tricky.

This is how I learned Step Works, which I USED to think was hard. Now it's a favorite of mine.

All you guys, disregard Deb H remarks about her being a klutz and having stubby legs! I know her in person and know that all that is a bunch of S---!

Deb, millions of women would KILL to look like you and come up with those routines like you.



Just Do It! :)
 
Of all Cathe's tapes, this one was the most difficult to learn. I did it six times and gave up on it, but when I decide to do it again, I'll do it on a four inch step and slow motion and rewind.

That second part IS tricky.

This is how I learned Step Works, which I USED to think was hard. Now it's a favorite of mine.

All you guys, disregard Deb H remarks about her being a klutz and having stubby legs! I know her in person and know that all that is a bunch of horse dung.

Deb, millions of women would KILL to look like you and come up with those routines like you do.



Just Do It! :)
 
HB!

Wow, thanks for the compliments!!! You made my day, BUT...I DO have stubby legs! :7 I want everyone that is 5'4" tall to measure their inseam from the inside groin area down to the top of the ankle bone. (I get 26"...SURE sounds stubby to me! Ha!) I enjoy making up the routines. It's funny, you would THINK that would make me very choreo friendly, but I truly have to work at it. If you could be a fly on the wall, you'd see what I mean. All that aside, it is all sooo worth it. It works my brain too. Thanks HB for your kind words. I still can't wait for a roadtrip with you to Cathe's place. BTW, Dawn, if you see this, I also lowered my step to 4" which helped tremendously. Give that try.

Your-Friend-In-Fitness, DebbieH http://www.plaudersmilies.de/wavey.gif If You Get The Choice To Sit It Out Or Dance...I Hope You DANCE!!!
 
Hi Dawn,

So far, I have only done RS once, and I too found the middle section bloody difficult, and the third section the easiest ! HUH ! :-hmmm Why ? I don't know ?

Anyway, when Cathe and Co were doing their 'thing' in the twiddly difficult bits, I did my own easy steps in place of those bits, much better and I sweat like there was no tomorrow !
I find, for me, that by doing this for harder, intricate workouts, the difficult moves some how over time end up being done by me, as i get more confident.

Definitely do RS on a 4" step, though !

Have Fun ! :D

Anna :)
 
A while back Francine & I challenged each other to learn this tape. She said she got it in about 3 weeks (where is that girl?). I'm still working on it--something like 4 months later!!! Ok, I do it like 3 times a month, ok?!

The way I have done it is broken it down into "bite size" pieces. I do one little step until I get it. I do that one step over & over until it feels comfortable. If that means I spend 45 minutes doing the same step, I spend 45 minutes doing the same step. The next time I do the tape, I do all of what I learned last time & add the next step. In fact, I did it today & got through all of the first & second combo, took the perceived exertion, moved on to combo 3. Got through the first step & had to rewind to the perceived exertion spot. Did it again. I did that one step 4 times until I got it. By this time I had done 50 minutes of stepping. I quit!!! So, next time I do it, I'll do comb 1 & 2 & the first steps of combo 3.

I know I've rambled on about how I did it, but I hope it makes sense to someone & helps you out!!!

OH & DON'T GET ME WRONG, I STILL TRIP OVER MY STEP & DON'T TURN THE RIGHT WAY MORE THAN HALF THE TIME!!! Call me step spaz!

I'm ready to take the next step! http://www.smilies-world.de/Smilies/Smilies_klein_1/a_smil09.gif
 
Thanks everyone for all the good advice. I am going to take the step down, that should help. Tomorrrow is IMAX, so I'll try Rhythmic Step again Thursday. It's gonna bug me 'till I get it down. It's always like this to some degree isn't it? Frustrating when we're learning a new tape, but once we know it we wish Cathe wouldn't break it down quite so slowly, because we already know it! I guess I want to magically be able to just do it!! And look at Cedie in this thing. She's just having a ball. Her arms look like Ginger Rogers, like she's floating, while I'm swearing at the tv. Thanks again!

Dawn
 
It took me about ten times through to feel like I almost knew it. I did it about twice a week at first. That worked for me though because my cardio capacity was at the same place my choreo was!

After RS I got the CTX series and they seemed so easy! I think RS is Cathe's most intricate step tape. Each time I start the day with RS my mind stays sharp all day!

And I can keep my pace even while running alongside a curb or low wall! Wow, functional! But I'm impressed! LOL

Deb H, are you talking about the tap-hop-repeaters?
I still have trouble tripling around the step- more like tripping around the step! But some days I'm really "on top of it" and ace right through the whole thing.

Now I feel like doing it tomorrow...
 
Oh hells bells, I felt like I qualified for the River Dance Squad after doing RS with my daughter a few times at her house :-rollen. Course little Miss Cathe Jr there got it down in nothing flat :-hmmm Years of ballet, gymnastics, and karate I guess! Oh to be coordinated ;-)
 
RE: I nailed it!!!!

OMG!!! I just finished it!!! I actually nailed it. I was mentally determined to just get thru it and not stop the tape. I can't believe I did it. I didn't always end up in the same place as Cathe and crew, but at least I had a clue as to what I was doing!!! When you all were saying what a "fun" routine this was, I thought you were just into pain and suffering, but today I acually had fun!!Thanks for all the encouragment!
Dawn
 
RE: I nailed it!!!!

WAHOO !! Dawn :-jumpy WELL DONE ! :D

You have inspired me to keep going with it !!!!!!

Anna :)
 
Yipeeee Dawn!

I'm so glad you hung in there. I'll join you in the "NOT-always-on-the-right-side-of-the-board" Club. It's still fun with all our bloopers! Yeehaw for you!!!

Your-Friend-In-Fitness, DebbieH http://www.plaudersmilies.de/wavey.gif If You Get The Choice To Sit It Out Or Dance...I Hope You DANCE!!!
 
RE: I nailed it!!!!

[font size="1" color="#FF0000"]LAST EDITED ON Dec-05-02 AT 07:06PM (Est)[/font][p]Great job Dawn!

I've been following this thread with interest because I've been having trouble with RS as well.

I usually work out in the AM and added two special evening sessions this week to learn RS. I don't think I was awake enough to catch on... I now have the first section and part of the second down pat now. Finally figured out why it has rhythmic in the title... :):)
~~ Sharon ~~
 
don't worry

Hi Dawn,
You'll get it eventually! I just did it last night. I think my problem is I'm so used to simple choreography since I do a lot of interval tapes. So when I do Rhythmic Step, my mind just gets tired! I finally did the 3rd section, but I didn't do the whole Rhythmic Challenge.

You will get better at it- I was so annoyed at first. Just do this tape when you're awake! If I try it when I'm tired, forget it, I'm messing up constantly. Once you know the steps, really listen to her cues (she's great at cuing). It does take practice, especially when you go back and do steps from the beginning.

Good luck!
 
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